Extensible box-couch.



PATENTED DEG. 20, 1904.

P. LINSMAYBR. EXTBNSIBLE BOX COUGH.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 19, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

NO MODEL.

WM ,Zig fus ,01W l Wses l gaa/ No. 777,965, PATENTED DEG. 20, 1904. P.LINSMAYER.

EXTENSIBLE BOX COUCH.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 19, 1904.

NO MODEL. ,2 SHEETS-SEEET 2,

Patented December 20, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

FERDINAND LINSMAYER, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

EXTENSIBLE BOX-COUCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 777,965, dated December20, 1904.

Application led January 19, 1904. Serial No. 189,690;

To @LZ- wwm t may aoncern:

neapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, haveinvented Certain new and useful Improvements in Extensible Box- Oouches;and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will'enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to folding box-couches, and has for its object toimprove the same in the several particulars hereinafter noted.

The invention consists of the novel devices and combinations of deviceshereinafter described, and defined in the claims, and is illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, wherein like characters indicate like partsthroughout the several views.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the improved .P02 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is aview correspond-l ing to Fig. 2, but showing the couch as folded.

The numeral 1 indicates the rectangular body or box of the couch, thesame being supported at its four corners by caster-wheels 2. This box 1is open at its top and at one side; but the top thereof is normallyclosed by a hinged rectangular frame or box-section 3, to the top ofwhich is secured the main cushion 4 of the couch.

The numeral 5 indicates a rectangular supplemental frame having securedto its upper portion and supporting a supplemental cushion 6. Thissupplemental section of the couch is supported and operated bynovelmeans, which will now be described.

An extensible supporting-frame, made up of end bars 7 and a tie-bar 8,works telescopically into the box 1 through the open side thereof. Attheir inner ends the end bars 7 are provided with wheels 9 and 10, theformer of which run over the bottom of the box 1 and the latter of whichengage the ends The bottom of the box 1 at its open thereof.

side is also preferably provided with antifriction-wheels 11, over whichthe bars 7 run under but slight friction. At their ends the bars 7 areprovided with caster-wheels 12, that run upon the floor and support theouter portion of the extensible vsupporting-frame. The supplementalbox-frame 5 is supported from the extensible frame by two pairs offolding parallel links 13 14, which links are pivoted to the ends ofsaid box 5 and to the side bars 7 of the said extensible frame. Theinnermost links 14 have free end extensions 14a and are subject tosprings 15, attached to the innermost portions thereof and to fixedprojections 16 on the inner ends of the side bars .of the extensibleframe. These springs 15 tend to throw the links 14 into verticalpositions, as shown in Fig. 2, in which positions their upper endextensions 14 strike stops 17 on the ends of the supplemental box 5.

It is evident that the links 13 and 14 move always parallel to eachother and that the supplemental box 5 will be raised and lowered to andfrom the positions shown in Figs. 2 and 8, being held always in ahorizontal position. When the supplemental box-section 5 is droppedoutward and downward onto the extensible frame, the said extensibleframe, together with the said supplemental box, may

be easily run in under the top 3 4 of the couch proper and entirely intothe main box 1; but it should be here noted that even when this is donethere is quite a large space for the reception of the bedclothes andother articles left within the box 1 back of the supplemental box 5.

When it is desired to convert the couch into a bed by extending thewidth thereof, the extensible frame or track 7 8 is of course firstdrawn out to the position shown in Fig. 2, and then the supplemental box5 is raised into the position shown in Fig. 2. The springs 15 have notin themselves sufficient tension to raise the supplemental box-section5, or at least would not ordinarily be so arranged, but are preferablyset under such tension as to make it very easy to raise or to lower thesupplemental box-section.

To lock the supplemental box 5 in its raised operative position, Iprovide a pair of latchdogs 18, 'that are pivoted at 19 to the ends ofthel supplemental box-frame 5 and are provided with projecting noses 20,which, as shown, work through perforations in the end plates of said boxand engage the outer edges ofthe link extensions 14 and cooperate withthe stops 17 to hold the links 14 in vertical positions. The latch-dogs18 are subject to springs 21, that yieldingly press them into operativepositions, and they are provided with lateral extensions, to which areattached the ends of a trip-cord 22, which cord, as shown, runs over theguide-sheaves 23 on the outer side plate of the frame 5 and at itsintermediate portion passes outward therethrough at 23 to alford anexposed portion 25, that may be taken hold of and pulled tosimultaneously release the latch-dogs 18.

A stifening-board 26 extends substantially from end to end of the box 5and is hinged thereto at 27 and to the side bars 7 of the extensibleframe 7 8 at 28. The hinges 27 and 28 are located parallel to thepivot-joints of the links 13 and 14, so that the board 26 is mounted tofold from the position shown in Fig. 2 into the position shown in Fig.3, and vice versa, by movements always parallel to the said two pairs oflinks. When the parts are adjusted as shown in Fig. 3, the board 26stands in a vertical position and closes the outer open side of the box1, and when the parts are adjusted as shown in Fig. 3 the said boardlies in a horizontal position and serves as a sheltl or support forarticles placed within the box 1. At all times the said hinged board 26stitfens and braces the supports for the su pplemental box 5.

From what has been said it will be understood that the device describedis capable of considerable modiiication within the scope of my inventionas herein set forth and claimed. For instance, instead of arranging thelinks 13 and 14 to lower thel supplemental box 5 by outward-swinging'movements they might be arranged to lower the same by inwardswingingmovements; but this latter indicated construction would require thelifting of the cover or lid of the main box in order to permit thesupplemental box to be lowered and moved inward. Hence the constructiondescribed and illustrated is preferred.

Other modifications will sugg'est themselves to those skilled in theart, all within the scope of my invention. j

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, is as follows:

1. The combination with a couch proper and a supplemental couch-section,of an extensible supporting-frame movable into and from the `body ofsaid couch proper, parallel moving links supporting' said supplementalcouch-section from,said extensible supporting-frame, certain of saidlinks having free end extensions, and means for locking said links invertical positions with said supplemental couch-section extended in ahorizontal position, comprising fixed stops and cooperating latchesoperating on said free end extensions of said links, substantially asdescribed.

2. rIhe combination with a couch proper and a supplementalcouch-section, of an extensible supporting-frame movable into and out ofthe body oi' said couch, parallel links supporting said supplementalcouch-section from said extensible supporting-frame, and one or moresprings applied to said extensible supporting-frame and to certain ofsaid links and, in part, balancing the weight of said supplementalcouch-section, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a box-couch having a hinged top, of asupplemental couchsection, an extensible su pporting-frame movable intoand out of the body7 of said box-couch through one side thereof,parallel links supporting the said supplemental couch-section from saidsupplemental frame, and a board 26 hinged to said supplementalcouch-section and to said supporting-frame and arranged for parallelmovements with said supportinglinks, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I atx my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FERDINAND LINSMAYER.

Witnesses:

E. H. KELIHER, F. D. MERCHANT.

